Playback issues in Kodi (newest version)

classicmaterial

New member
I've recently been having some issues with buffering in Kodi for files that are on a USB drive that is plugged directly into the Minix box. Most recently I was watching an mkv file and, around an hour and 45 minutes into the file it froze for a minute and this circle appeared in the middle of the screen with numbers counting up to 100 and it took a good minute or so to get to 100 and then it finally started playing again.

I can understand this happening with streaming but this is a file on a flash drive plugged into the box so I can't imagine why it would do this.

I went to the home screen, did an "All Tasks Killer" then went back to that spot in the file and it played fine for a minute and then did the same thing. After one or two more times it finally played through to the end of the file but I'm a little concerned as I can't fathom how a locally stored file would need to buffer.

I've had the box for about a year now and have only ever played files off USB drives attached to it. I never stream and the only app I've added to the box since I got it is Tidal
 
I've recently been having some issues with buffering in Kodi for files that are on a USB drive that is plugged directly into the Minix box. Most recently I was watching an mkv file and, around an hour and 45 minutes into the file it froze for a minute and this circle appeared in the middle of the screen with numbers counting up to 100 and it took a good minute or so to get to 100 and then it finally started playing again.

I can understand this happening with streaming but this is a file on a flash drive plugged into the box so I can't imagine why it would do this.

I went to the home screen, did an "All Tasks Killer" then went back to that spot in the file and it played fine for a minute and then did the same thing. After one or two more times it finally played through to the end of the file but I'm a little concerned as I can't fathom how a locally stored file would need to buffer.

I've had the box for about a year now and have only ever played files off USB drives attached to it. I never stream and the only app I've added to the box since I got it is Tidal

Is every media file buffering or just certain .MKV's?

How full is your external HDD? When did you last defrag it? Have you checked the drive for errors?

Do you have a build installed to Kodi or multiple add-ons? Have you tried clearing Kodi's cache or failing that clearing Kodi's data?

Have you tried clearing the system cache?
 
My thoughts exactly. There may be some marginal sector on the drive that are giving the read issue.

If you can, I would do a full format of the drive, otherwise run chkdsk and see what gets reported.
 
also try going back to the version of Kodi where it worked OK.

Saying Kodi latest version in your title doesnt tell us what version you are actually using...there are any number of "latest" versions
 
Is every media file buffering or just certain .MKV's?

How full is your external HDD? When did you last defrag it? Have you checked the drive for errors?

Do you have a build installed to Kodi or multiple add-ons? Have you tried clearing Kodi's cache or failing that clearing Kodi's data?

Have you tried clearing the system cache?

It's Kodi 18.5 Leia

It's a 64gb SanDisk flash drive with about 5gb of space remaining. I've never defragged it because I never thought to defrag a flash drive (admittedly I I do constantly delete files off of it to make room for other files). I've also never checked it for errors since again, it's just a flash drive to me that just temporarily houses movie files until I watch them and then move them onto a bigger external drive

I don't have any add-ons for Kodi. Quite literally the only adjustment I've made to the Minix box since getting it was to add Tidal. I don't know how to clear the Kodi cache or Kodi data but that might be helpful.

I've also never cleared the system cache (other than the "All Tasks Killer" which I'm assuming isn't the same thing)
 
Don't defrag it. Flash drives don't need defragging. (I have to ask though, have you thrown the flash drive in your computer and ran an error check (with the fix errors box marked)?
 
Don't defrag it. Flash drives don't need defragging. (I have to ask though, have you thrown the flash drive in your computer and ran an error check (with the fix errors box marked)?

I have not. Never even thought to. For what it's worth this has happened with all 3 flash drives (the other ones are a 3tb drive with at least 1.5tb free and a 256gb drive with close to 50gb free)
 
Update: I cleared the cache of Kodi (about 47mb) and noticed the "Data" was at 1gb - should I clear that too?
cache at 47 mb sounds ok
data at 1gb is a bit high but shouldnt really cause any issues...if you do clear it it will put Kodi back as if a fresh install

I have for many years used Kcleaner kodi program addon for cleaning my kodi system >> you may want to try this >> https://projects.lanik.org/KodiProject_KCleaner.htm

you may also try an advancedsettings file >> https://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Modify_the_video_cache

as an example you may wish to use this one for kodi 18
 

Attachments

  • advancedsettings.xml
    580 bytes · Views: 12
cache at 47 mb sounds ok
data at 1gb is a bit high but shouldnt really cause any issues...if you do clear it it will put Kodi back as if a fresh install

I have for many years used Kcleaner kodi program addon for cleaning my kodi system >> you may want to try this >> https://projects.lanik.org/KodiProject_KCleaner.htm

you may also try an advancedsettings file >> https://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Modify_the_video_cache

as an example you may wish to use this one for kodi 18

Please forgive my ignorance on this but I've seen this advancedsettings thing floating around. Once I download it and put it on a flash drive and then connect the flash drive to my box then what do I do with the file in order to "activate" it (for lack of a better word)? I've tried to read some of the how-tos and have just gotten lost. Is there a dummy's guide to getting this implemented? Thank you!
 
Please forgive my ignorance on this but I've seen this advancedsettings thing floating around. Once I download it and put it on a flash drive and then connect the flash drive to my box then what do I do with the file in order to "activate" it (for lack of a better word)? I've tried to read some of the how-tos and have just gotten lost. Is there a dummy's guide to getting this implemented? Thank you!
it needs to be popped into your kodi userdata folder . You can use something like ES File explorer to transfer it there from your flashdrive. You will need to set ES File explorer to show Hidden Files ( I think)

take a look at >>>> https://kodi.wiki/view/Advancedsettings.xml

for more info


Once placed in your userdata folder it is automatically read when kodi starts up,
 
it needs to be popped into your kodi userdata folder . You can use something like ES File explorer to transfer it there from your flashdrive. You will need to set ES File explorer to show Hidden Files ( I think)

take a look at >>>> https://kodi.wiki/view/Advancedsettings.xml

for more info


Once placed in your userdata folder it is automatically read when kodi starts up,

Thank you very much! I did all that and will report back in the next 24 hours or so as to whether or not I still have this issue.
 
cache at 47 mb sounds ok
data at 1gb is a bit high but shouldnt really cause any issues...if you do clear it it will put Kodi back as if a fresh install

I have for many years used Kcleaner kodi program addon for cleaning my kodi system >> you may want to try this >> https://projects.lanik.org/KodiProject_KCleaner.htm

you may also try an advancedsettings file >> https://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Modify_the_video_cache

as an example you may wish to use this one for kodi 18

this worked great thank you very much!

i've watched a whole movie and a few episodes of a TV show and I can tell from pausing or rewinding/fast forwarding that the buffer is much larger now such that I won't end up "running out" of buffered data (for lack of a better way to describe it)

Thank you all for your suggestions and help on here!
 
Back
Top